Dissecting Atlanta’s Segregated Social Scene

Atlanta has a reputation of being an international city, but this Atlanta Magazine column uncovered the city’s long-standing dirty little secret: a segregated social scene. Yes, one that is equal, but undoubtedly voluntarily SEPARATED by race! I ultimately was invited to write a similar story on this subject for Time Magazine’s website. That story inspire Atlanta disc jockeys Frank Ski (African American) and Bert Weiss (Caucasian) to join forces over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend to host a racially unified dance party at a local nightclub. The outcome of that event – a mostly black turnout with sparse white attendance – ultimately only seemed to reinforce my column’s assertion! Is it okay for people of various racial backgrounds to self-segregate socially? You be the judge. Hopefully this article inspires some self-reflection and provided some much-needed insight on a topic that had been ignored for far too long.